From EP 2 113 165 it is known, to have a so-called duckbill feeder with a toothed top plate resting on a bottom plate to clamp net between them, whereas the net is caught by the teeth and presses the top plate down. The top plate is not spring biased, since this makes it easier to insert a new net, when a roll of net is used up.
EP 432 830 also discloses a duckbill for feeding net into a gap between two rolls of a bale chamber. This mechanism contains two moveable plates pressed against each other to hold net between themselves. The leading edges of both plates are provided with teeth or recesses to create a way of protruding into the net and holding it tight. The bottom plate is pressed by way of a spring against the underside of the top plate to clamp the net.
The problem this invention is based on is seen in the need to keep both plates pressed against each other to hold the net against sideward movement, whereas such clamping has the disadvantage that it becomes difficult to insert the net into the nip between the plates, when a new roll of net is used. Another problem is that the net may be destroyed by the leading edge of the plate, when it is deflected for the cutting operation. If as an alternative one of the plates is not spring applied and is able to pivot freely, it is disadvantageous in that it may hit a rotating roll that is part of the bale chamber wall, when the duckbill enters a gap between rolls of the bale chamber. Furthermore, if the plate is free to pivot, the net will not be caught by fingers or the like on one of the plates and the net may move and will be cut unevenly.